Localization service is an important way of promoting games, expanding the number of players in the database, and increasing revenue. However, during the introduction process of products, the need for cultural acclimatization is a disadvantage that foreign products will have to face and therefore gaming localization services have become a key element for advertising companies.
So, how can you get a quality gaming localization service? We have developed 6 tips that guarantee quality localization of games.
Excellent language skills regardless of content, be it in gaming translations or medical translations, translation is in its essence converting one language into another; However, understanding a language is one thing, knowing how to accurately express the same meanings in different languages is quite another.
The difficulty of localizing is the need of maintaining the original style and message, but also interacting with local characteristics.
1. Outstanding comprehension skills
Words that appear in gaming translation usually do not have the same meaning when used on a daily basis, in such cases, the translator must fully understand the game storyline and context, to provide an adequate translation and gaming localization.
For Example:
“Warm up the weapon” does not literally mean warming up the weapon, but it means firing continuously (continuous firing will cause the gun to heat up).
“Do something Rackham!” should not be translated as to do something because it really means finding a solution to the problem.
2. Creativity
The main difference between the gaming industry and other industries is its virtual nature, which creates new worlds, unusual creatures, ethnicities, and completely different terminologies. That´s why specialized gaming localization service is so important.
This has brought unique challenges to the localization of games, translators must work with strict restrictions and rely on their own creativity to recreate the same gaming experience for players in the target language.
3. The ability to understand different cultures
There is a wide disparity in the cultural contexts of different countries, so an in-depth understanding of the countries’ culture of the source language and target language will help avoid any term, sentence or word that is prohibited or offensive and will increase the sense of familiarity given by the games. In addition, it is important to understand the exclusive subculture of the games. Without understanding this culture, it’s very difficult for the translator to produce adequate translations and to impress the players through the gaming localization.
There are also games that involve humor and puns in its sub culture; “Leeroy Jenkins” is a famous war cry in World of Warcraft, but when it appears in the game Battlefield, sung by the soldiers while attacking an enemy base, can be interpreted as such soldiers acting recklessly. During the translation, it was translated as “Blood and Glory”, which is a classic sentence in World of Warcraft. Such a translation, first of all, shows that this war cry came from the World of Warcraft; Secondly, “Blood and Glory” also reflects the fearless and courageous emotions experienced by those soldiers facing death.
In this way, it applies to World of Warcraft but also respects Battlefield players, thus not offending or confusing those who play both games. A knowledge that a good gaming localization service must provide.
4. Fast and flexible mind, adapting to the circumstances
Translation and localization of games should be adjusted based on customer requirements for phrase structures, length, style, etc. First, there are strict limitations on the number of characters, translators need to abandon the idea of “fidelity, expressiveness, and elegance”, and organize the language in a flexible way to try to meet the requirements of the number of characters, as well as guaranteeing accuracy.
Second, each game has its very own style, players need to play a role and therefore the translated text must match the context of the game and the identity of the characters, wich will increase your gaming localization.
5. Remarkable gaming translators are mostly the players themselves
This is a particularly important point. Firstly, when translators are also players, it means they have a stock of terminologies ready to use in their minds, which can help improve the efficiency of their work during the gaming localization service.
For example, when a player sees the word “credit,” he will immediately realize that this refers to the list of developers, and has no relation to monetary credit; In addition, players quickly understand in which type of scenario certain content or sentences should appear. That’s a very important knowledge during gaming localization service.
Second, communications, be it with developers or colleagues, are easy and with mutual understanding, which is time and cost effective. Third, only players can understand and accurately convey what is being expressed in the source language. For example, whether to directly translate or paraphrase the names of some of the characters? Or how to translate to make it vivid and expressive?
By following these 6 tips you ensure a good quality localization for your games. Want to know more about this topic, please get in touch with Magma Translation. Gaming Localization Service, don’t get behind.
